Bush and Kerry 2004:

As the presidential race begins to reach the boiling point, President Bush and Democratic candidate Senator John Kerry are doing their best to appeal to the majority of Americans. However, where do Kerry and Bush really stand on the major political issues?
Citizens are concerned about Bush’s and Kerry’s plans for tax fund, spending and tax cuts. Bush plans to allow a $3,000 job search account to help the unemployed find new jobs. Kerry plans to spend on highways, school construction, pollution clean up and other yet unnamed projects with the goal of creating three million jobs in 500 days.
“Kerry’s plan of creating three million jobs in 500 days may seem overly ambitious, but I believe that due to the unemployment rate, new jobs will highly benefit America,” said Nathan Cohn, a junior criminal justice major.
Also, Bush wants his current temporary tax cuts to become permanent ones.
“Jobs are created when the economy grows; the economy grows when Americans have more money to spend and invest,” commented President Bush on his official campaign website: www.georgewbush.com.
Sen. Kerry plans to cut back on the high income tax cuts, while keeping the middle and lower class tax cuts.
“Under this Administration, America’s middle class has been abandoned – its dreams denied, its Main Street interests ignored and its mainstream values scorned by a White House that puts privilege first,” said Kerry, on www.issues2000.org.
Along with the job search accounts and the permanent tax cuts, Bush promises more free trade deals, an ease on business regulations and an increase in domestic energy production.
Another issue affecting the American population is same-sex marriage. Both candidates oppose same-sex marriage, but Bush supports a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage if the courts decide to allow it. However, Kerry does support the right to civil unions between partners.
During a debate at Wake Forest University during the 2000 Presidential elections, Bush was quoted as saying, “I’ve been a tolerant person all my life. I just happen to believe strongly that marriage is between a man and a woman. I don’t really think it’s any of my concern how you conduct your sex life. That’s a private matter. I support equal rights but not special rights for people.”
“I agree with George Bush on the fact that he believes the sanctity of marriage should be between a man and a woman. And civil unions should not be allowed the same benefits as a marriage such as tax breaks,” said Jennifer Smith, Georgia College & State University political science major and founder of the College Republicans.
When asked during CNN’s “Rock the Vote,” “What can you do to help make sure that gays and lesbians have an opportunity to build and love their families?” Kerry responded. “I have always fought for the right of people to be able to be treated equally in America.” He continued, “I am for partnership rights. I am for civil union.”
The candidates’ positions on the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq could possibly determine who wins the election. President Bush won congressional approval of $87 billion for continued operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; Sen. Kerry voted against the package. He originally supported the decision to go to war in Iraq, but now he claims he based his decision on faulty intelligence reports. Sen. Kerry wants to replace the U.S. provisional authority in Iraq with United Nations leadership, increase U.S. troops worldwide by 40,000 and put Saddam Hussein on trial in Iraq before a combined Iraqi-international tribunal.
“I believe it would be best for the current President to remain in office for another term,considering the present operation in Iraq. Bush has remained consistent in his stance since taking office, but Kerry seems to be shifting with the popular opinion, according to Americans watching CNN and Fox News, etc. Basically, Kerry has never provided a consistent stance to what he plans to do in Iraq,” said Jake Ryals, a freshman psychology major.
For more detailed information on where Bush and Kerry stand on all major political issues visit www.issues2000.org, www.georgewbush.com, and www.johnkerry.com.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 16 2004. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry